"Children Around the World"  by Carl Binder, 1983.  Oak, brass and steel. Gift of Lorrayne Mulder in memory of her husband, Ryan Mulder.

Lorrayne commissioned Carl Binder to make something in memory of her husband, but was not sure what she wanted when she left Ann Arbor to spend the winter in Florida.  She phoned from Florida to describe a dream in which she envisioned a piece.  Carl sent various sketches until they arrived at a design that was suitable.  The children are headed toward the cross, with the youngest in the front and a mother and father bringing up the end of the procession.  The last child carries a tulip signifying the Mulders' Dutch ancestry-although the Mulder family is not specifically represented.  The path, made of steel, was fabricated by Scott Langton since Carl did not have the equipment to work with such heavy weight steel.

"Noah and the Ark"  by Carl Binder.  Welded steel.

Carl spoke of the "Ark" as a plaything that he made over several years.  He and his wife, Polly, enjoyed thinking of animals he could add that were easily recognizable in spite of the constraints of working with steel.  Carl requested that the "Ark" be hung low so the children can enjoy it.  However, it has sometimes suffered for being accessible, so that Carl has had to take it home and repair and refurbish it from time to time.  The animals look contented, and Noah is taking a well-earned rest.

FIRST FLOOR - CLASSROOMS, NO ART

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